Oral Contraceptive
Efficacy
63%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Improvement significantly increases after 24 weeks.
Oral Contraceptive
Acne.org’s Real World Take
All oral contraceptives appear to clear the skin about the same amount. Some people report cessation of acne symptoms and others see partial relief. However, messing with hormones is messing with hormones and it’s best to proceed with caution. But if you’re looking to take the birth control pill anyway, one of the benefits is clearer skin.
Oral Contraceptive
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Drospirenone (Yasmin®, Yaz®)? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
September 6, 2019
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Stay away
If I could give this pill 0 stars, I would. I started this pill after I had mild acne, looking back at it now it’s nothing compared to what I have now. Back pain, feeling nauseous constantly, no energy, constantly tired and worst of all my cystic acne I have gained from this. There is not 1 area or my face that doesn’t have a huge boil like spot on it, it’s made me depressed, given me anxiety, I don’t want to leave my home and I have had to quit my job. I am embarrassed to go out with friends, I used to always be out and always talk to new people but my confidence has been shattered by this pill and no amount of make up can make it look any better. I developed hearing loss in both ears, which the drs have linked to this pill. It has been 6 weeks and I haven’t had any hearing, I have just finished my 2nd month on the pill. Avoid.
March 6, 2019
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
BEWARE! DOES NOT WORK FOR ACNE OR PCOS!
I wish I listened to the bad reviews about this pill. I just wasted £30 on this crap. Before starting this pill I had oily skin, blackheads on nose and very mild acne, (mostly in the sides of my face), little acne on arms and a little on my back and it wasn’t too noticeable. I decided to take the pill for 3 months to reduce the oily skin and it hasn’t made my skin any better (my skin has gone much worse) . It has also caused the peach fuzz on my chin to darken slightly as well as my upper lip hairs to darken slightly. My skin is now not good. It is still oily and I have visible acne on the sides of my face. Don’t take this pill for acne or PCOS BECAUSE FROM MY EXPERIENCE IT INCREASES TESTOSTERONE NOT DECREASES IT.
September 3, 2018
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Poison
Was on a pill called Qlaira for a long time. Came off it due to irregular bleeding, and as ive suffered with my skin in the past, my doctor recommended lucette (cheap yasmin) . All i can say is my skin hasnt been this bad since i was a teen, and these period pains and heavy bleeding are unreal. Its poison. Im actually fuming. In light of my headache (literally) ive decided that i will not be using an oral contraceptive again. Ive tried everything and this has taught me a valuable lesson, to let nature do its thing. Condoms will have to do....i am.not going to damage my body or my skin any more. I really hope this stops someone going through what i have! Not worth it girls!
August 15, 2018
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Do not take Yasmin
I was on dianette for a year before changing to Yasmin in Feb. I took Yasmin roughly 5-6 months and it's ruined me. Mood swings, headaches, head fuzziness, heart palpitations. I ended up in hospital because of it - my heart rate was extremely elevated. However every taste came out fine and I've never had any health problems prior. I stopped mid pack a month ago because it was making me feel so awfully depressed. It did make my skin better (not perfect) but it is NOT worth feeling like this. I now have suffered panic attacks and anxiety when I have never dealt with that before. I still feel spaced out and tired all of the time. I just don't feel right and it's affecting my everyday loft. If I can stop even one girl taking Yasmin then that is enough. it's not worth the risk of reacting like myself and many others have (do your research). I wish I had known all this before taking it. Take other routes to clear your skin!
May 14, 2018
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
been on it for 6 days..
i'm 16, not sexually active at all, went on the pill for acne only. not even a week in and i HATE this pill. depressive episodes, horrendous bloating and cravings and lo and behold, WORSENED ACNE. IT HAS NOT EVEN BEEN A WEEK. there's no way i could continue with this pill any longer. stopping it today and going to my GP about other options. plus my acne has been tested to be hormonal.. so sad about this.
October 27, 2016
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Research first!
I had acne when I was a teenager and it didn't improve with time. I tried antibiotics, creams, gels... Nothing seemed to work.A dermatologist told me to try the pill, and in my desperation to clear my skin, I did. Worst mistake ever. I took yasmin and the skin improved, cleared, but I stopped after 3 months and the acne came back MUCH worse! It was so bad it affected me psychologically, I was in uni at the time and I really struggled to leave home and go to class. I hated my face. It was even swollen by the amount of spots! Then I took roaccutane. It's a really strong treatment, it can affect you organs and made me depressed, my skin was dramatically dry, I got my first wrinkles (yay!), my lips were so dry that something they would cut when I smiled. Even so, it worked, my skin was much better at the end, clear. I was left with lots of scars but no marks. After stoping the treatment, a bit of acne came back. Not as bad as before, but it did. The doctor told me that my acne was hormonal so it could only be controlled with the pill. I started taking Dretinelle (basically same as yasmin, which I didn't know). I've been on it for years, and I'm now going off it. I'm stopping today. I'm gonna take some food suplements and look after my diet really well, and go back to topical creams. My skin might not be great but the pill isn't worth it. Plus it stopped working for my skin. The pill has so many risks, ended up giving me palpitations and arrhythmia, and very strong headaches. My sex drive is gone. And something that not many people know, is that even though Yasmin helps clear the skin while taking it, it has an ingredient that makes your skin go wild once you stop. Google it. But honestly, don't take it.
July 19, 2016
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
**UPDATE on 02/2017- I'm changing my rating to 1 star**
*** 02/2017-- I'm leaving my original review from July 2016 at the bottom. I went off Yaz in September 2016, and that time it was for good. I never had any mood problems while taking Yaz, but when I stopped taking it I developed full-blown Panic Disorder. I'm talking about panic attacks everyday, and the constant feeling like something bad was about to happen. My heart rate was a constant 110-120 beats per minute. My life was hell for 3 months until December when it started to go away. DO NOT go on this medication, it SUCKS. I almost had to drop out of my last semester of nursing school because of it.*** July 2016-
I do not have PCOS, but I have elevated DHEA-S (twice the normal limit) and slighty elevated Cortisol. I went on Yaz after Ortho Tri Cyclen and 50mg Spironolactone stopped working for me. I've had no bad side effects or adverse reactions. It cleared 95% of my breakouts. I also have a history of migraines with aura. I only had 2 of these migrianes, and they were 5 years before I started Yaz. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because when I tried to go off it, I had the WORST break out imaginable. I quickly went back on again.
May 17, 2015
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Might cure your acne and cost your life
I was on Yasmin for 7 years and it cured my acne 100%, but I could have died because of it.
Hormonal treatments might seem like the easy and fast solution for an acne cure, but trust me - it's not worth it. Besides horrible side effects of depression, weight gain, mood swings, headaches etc, this is one of the worst birth control pills out there that can give you blood clots. I got pulmonary embolism last year in both of my lungs because of Yasmin and had to take blood thinners for 6 months. (No genetic tendencies in my family.) I have two friends who also got pulmonary embolism because of Yasmin. I am now on Finacea topical gel and Zinc which work great. I know this is a short review, and if you have any questions write me a message.
July 15, 2016
What are thge symptoms of pulmonary embolisms? Did you get migraines beforehand?
October 27, 2016
That's exactly why I have decided to stop taking it. What where your symptoms?
April 26, 2015
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
started a week ago
for some reason i have been struggling with acne for years to the point where i feel im just disgusting. I've started taking the pill breaking out a bit but it gets worse before it gets better as i have heard. i hope this works because i have given up
December 18, 2014
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Yasmin is the worst thing to happen to me
Do not use this pill. I suffered from acne and my doctor put me on yasmin to help it as i thought it was good for resolving acne. i've been on it for 4 months and I have never been so miserable and depressed. My acne worsened and continues to worsen now, I've never experienced acne this bad it's ruining my entire life I have now been put on to roaccutane to sort it out once and for all. Yasmin has resulting in me crying all the time (once a day), eating ridiculous amounts and severe bloating. I am now looking to convert to a different pill, Yasmin has changed me so much for the worse and I've never regretted something so much in my life. Please think carefully before starting this pill.
gets worse before it gets better